News & Press

Hunter Fan Company Appoints John Alexander as CEO

March 11, 2013

John comes to Hunter with deep general management experience at senior levels with well-known consumer brands. He has successfully led profitable growth, both in U.S. and international businesses, through new product development, consumer branding, licensing, and channel expansion. Importantly, John has direct experience with various distribution channels and customers, including U.S. home centers.

John spent most of his career at Whirlpool Corporation, where he held positions of increasing responsibility. As Vice President and General Manager of Whirlpool’s $3 billion Whirlpool brand, John grew market share to record levels by creating customer loyalty programs, introducing new products, and working closely with key customers. As Vice President of New Business Development and Innovation, John led new high growth high profit businesses such as Gladiator, Commercial Laundry and Whirlpool’s licensing business.

Most recently John was President of the America’s for Diversey, Inc., a $3 billion leading global provider of cleaning and hygiene products. During his three years at Diversey, John introduced new products, expanded international distribution, and led his organization to sustained annual profitable growth. John has a BS in Mechanical Engineering from Ohio Northern University and an MBA from the Ohio State University.

When asked about joining Hunter, John said, “I am very excited about joining an organization that has great brands and a leading reputation of innovation and quality in the market. Hunter has a great future and I look forward to being part of that over the long term.”

The board also wishes to express its appreciation to Chuck Smith, who served Hunter for 14 years, 6 of those as CEO. Rob Sharp, Managing Director of MidOcean Partners said, “The board and I want to thank Chuck for his valuable contributions. His leadership was instrumental in growing the company. We wish him all the best in his future endeavors. The Hunter management team has positioned the company very well for continued long-term growth, and we look forward to our future success under John and the senior management team’s leadership.”

“My tenure with Hunter Fan Company has been a rewarding experience, and I appreciate the opportunity to lead the company and the hundreds of loyal and dedicated employees over the past six years,” said Mr. Smith. “My transition will ensure a seamless handoff, and allow me to pursue other interests after a successful tenure with Hunter.”

Hunter has just finished its third consecutive year of increased revenue and market share, driven by strong growth in the core ceiling fan business.

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About Hunter Fan
Sure, we invented the ceiling fan—but every day, we find new ways to perfect it. That’s our challenge and our passion. Why? Because a ceiling fan is
something special. It’s more than a mere appliance or fixture—it’s a piece of fine furniture that’s also incredibly functional. What other home furnishing
can maximize comfort, energy efficiency and aesthetics in every room?

Because we design and engineer our fans right here in Memphis, we’re able to stay at the forefront of the industry, incorporating the very latest
trends and technologies into our fans, then rigorously testing them beyond established standards to ensure a lifetime of whisper-quiet performance.